Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-09-02
REPUBLICAN DOCTRINE
AS Expressed by the Iowa Republicans-A
Square and Good Platform.

|
1. The republicans of Iowa accept as
settled the old issues and conclusive re
suits of the war, and hail with patriotic
satisfaction all sincere evidences of re-
turning fraternity and reunion. The
new issues raised in the South since the
war against the right of every freeman to
cast his vote unmolested aud have 1t
honestly counted, and against the right OF
majority rule in the State and nation, are
yet to be settled.
2. We deny that the suffrage is purely
a legal question for each State to regulate
in whole or suppress in part, as 1t chooses.
The suppression of the votes of the black
men in the South is not only wrong to
| them it is also in "A national sense, III the
election of Congressman bold and sue
cessful method to make one vote III the
| South count for as much as two in the
| North, therefore wrong which reaches
into every neighborhood and to every
voter in the Union. 1t is also used to de.
grade the negroes in the south INTO a
servile form of cheap labor with which
free labor everywhere must soon be
brought into competition
3. We continue to favor protective
tariff for the upbuildlng of American III
dustries and the development OF our re-
| sources as Il nation. We also favor it for
such degree as will maintain to such la
Der, the advantage of the difference be
| tween the wages of the wOrklngmen OF
Europe and America. We believe tne
tariff should be revised and reduced
wherever this policy Will allow and the
| public interest approve. The strlctest
| honesty, economy and retrenchment
should be required and followed in the
expenditure of all public money, aud we
declare for all possible and practicable
reduction of taxation, both national and
State We favor the revision of the rev
enue laws of the State to the end that
taxation may be equitable on all kinds OF
property.
4. We are opposed to criminal and vi
cious immigration of all kinds, to threat
en- the public welfare and disturb the So
ci i'll peace, and to all pauper immigration
and convict or coolie labor, or to he cor
tract of prison labor by the State to bring
i unfair competition to American working
men, We favor such legislation in the
State as will protect miners aud all other
laborers in their full rights as to compen-
sation, protection of life, hours OF labor
and freedom of trade All puolc lands
should be held and all uuearned lands
granted rec aimed for actual settlers.
Nonresident aliens should not be ALLOW ed
to acquire title to lands in this country.
e. he civil service law, enacted by the
republican party and now 50 hagrantly
,
administration, should be maintained, and
| improved in all ways to insure its enforce
ment and increase Its efficiency The sole
t test of an Incumbent of Office Orappllcant tC
. place in the detail service Of the govern
ment should be honesty, competency and
fidellty-wth the single exception that
when all other qualifications are equal,
the Union soldier shall have the prefer
ence.
J g. We are unable to give the commenda
ton OF good citizens to the administration
of Grover Cleveland. In its discrimina
ton against and its shameful abuse OF
Union soldiers and the constant prefer
ence it has shown to the men who fought
, to destroy the Union III its despotic ust
} of the executive power TO veto bills passed
by Congress for the relief of Union sol
diers and the Des Moines river land set
tiers in its attempt to reverse the verdict
} of the war by surrender of the rebel bat
tie flags in his failure to reduce the sur
plus or decrease taxation, and for it'
broken promises to the people and its in
efficient discharge OF the public service We
are compelled to denounce it as being un
patriotic, unworthy, Il disappointment tt
q the country, and a fresh proof of the in
capacity of the democratic party to con
duct successfully the affairs of the nation
,. Z. The theory of public regulation anC
control of railways and other corporations
e first enacted into the law OF this State ant
: by the State carried up for the approval o
the Supreme Court of the United States
we maintain with increasing favor w
approve the general principles OF the inter
State commerce law and favor sucl
: amendments thereto as Will make 1t still
more protective of the Interests of the PEG
# pie and such State legislation as will ar
ply its principles to this State. We elthe
ask that the next legislature shall, aftc
L thorough and unsparng investigation, 81
e revise and amend the laws forming tn
! InaS or 1IsAI
the people all legitimate protection iron
i corporation monopoly aud eXtortion a
= will increase the efficiency and usefulnes
- of the commission and as Will secure a
;, fair and possible reduction in freight an
4 fares, believing that the first class road
" of the State can afford to reduce pasSel
q ger fare to two cents mile. We are op
y posed to all unjust determinations be
! tween persons and places, and also to an
a railroad policy or legislation which Wi
n tend to njure our agricultural, lndustrla
u or commercial interests, or that will al
IL in building up outside cities and interes
= at the expense of the cities and towns {
:; our own State. We are also opposed t
u granting any form of exclusive rights b
70 which any corporation or individuals WI
n, be protected by law from legitimate an
= honorable competition and established q
70 monopoly regardless of public interest.
~ s. This government, saved from destrut
10 ton and treason by the patriotism an
~ valor of the Union soldiers, cannot afford
~ in Justice or honor, to deal less than justl
with them. 1t should cordially an
promptly bestow, as an obligation of III
government and not as a charity, liDeri
- pensions to all disabled or dependent so
., ders, and to the dependent widows an
~ parents of soldiers, thus preventing al
T. suffering and want from coming to whoT
I'd the nation owes debt 1T can never repo,
Il. O. Iowa has no compromise to hold wit
ce the saloon. We declare in favor of ii
IL faithful and vigorous enforcement in a
" parts of the State of the prohibitory lay
re The pharmacy law and county permit la
of should be so amended as 10 prevent II
is drug store or wholesale liquor law fro
becoming in any manner the substitute
successor of the saloon.
TO- We express our sympathy with II
10 people struggling for liberty and hon
~ rule, whether it be the irish people /,
by Gladstone and Parnell, seeking
escape from a long time oppression, or 81
people of Dakota and other Territories
this country deprived of home rule by T.
partisan injustice of the democratic part
II. We approve Of tue State adninistr